The Department of Trade & Industry has published a research study undertaken by EPRC, in collaboration with Fraser Associates, on the feasibility of evaluating the impact and added value of Structural Funds in the UK.
The research was undertaken in the first half of 2002 as a contribution to developing the UK's negotiating position with respect to the reform of the Structural Funds.
Led by John Bachtler and Philip Raines, the study examined all of the evaluation research relating to Structural Fund programmes in the UK over the past 15 years, as well as similar research relating to domestic policies providing the match-funding for EU programmes. It also involved primary research in five case-study regions to assess the quality of data and the experiences of implementing Structural Funds. The study concluded by presenting a methodology for the evaluation of impact and added value in future studies. A copy of the study can be downloaded here